Iranian FM stresses need to respect human rights and avoid double standards

Seyed Abbas Araghchi the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran who has traveled to Geneva to participate in the Disarmament Conference and the Human Rights Council meeting on Monday afternoon took part in the rights council session and outlined Iran’s position regarding the issues on the agenda of talks at the UN body.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who has traveled to Geneva to participate in the Disarmament Conference and the Human Rights Council meeting, on Monday afternoon took part in the rights council session and outlined Iran’s position regarding the issues on the agenda of talks at the UN body.

Araghchi noted that the need for respecting and promoting human rights and human dignity is a global concern.
He maintained that the issue of human rights should be addressed by respecting the principles of the UN Charter and international law, including the principle of respecting the national sovereignty of countries and accepting the diversity and differences in the cultural, social, and religious backgrounds of nations.

Araghchi reiterated that the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its rich culture and long history of upholding human rights, has always strived to enhance the individual and social rights of its citizens.
To this end, he added, Iran has taken extensive measures to boost human rights, including women's, children's, and minorities’ rights in the country. “At the same time, we believe that human rights should not be used as a tool for political and economic pressure or interference in the internal affairs of other countries”, he underlined.
Araghchi said experience has shown that some governments use this institution as a means to advance their own goals while human rights should be promoted based on mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries.

The top Iranian diplomat voiced regret over the continuation of dual and selective approaches regarding human rights, saying using the issue as a tool for political exploitation undermines the trust of nations in the Human Rights Council and international institutions.

Araghchi pointed to the adverse impact of unilateral coercive actions, including unjust and illegal sanctions against developing countries on the enjoyment of human rights by their people.
He said the sanctioning countries should be held accountable over their gross violations of human rights.

Araghchi also described the ongoing violation of the fundamental rights of the oppressed Palestinian people, particularly their right to self-determination, as the most important and regrettable example of systematic and blatant human rights violation in the world.

He condemned Israel’s colonial plan on genocide and erasure of Palestine, which has resulted in the killing of nearly 50,000 innocent people and the complete destruction of Gaza within just 16 months.
The Iranian foreign minister called for speeding up efforts to investigate the occupying regime’s leaders and their supporters and punish them over their gross violations of human rights and the international humanitarian laws.
Araghchi underscored that the conspiracy to forcibly displace the people of Gaza and transfer them to neighboring countries is nothing but a continuation of genocide, and the international community must strongly oppose the plot.

He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to support the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people to achieve self-determination and liberation from occupation and apartheid.
Araghchi noted that this is in line with the principles of the UN Charter and the international legal obligations of states to help realize the right to self-determination of nations under occupation, colonization, or apartheid.

The foreign minister described terrorism and extremism as serious threats to human rights worldwide and underlined that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the largest victims of terrorism, will spare no effort to prevent and fight these heinous phenomena.

The high-level session of the Human Rights Council runs from February 24 to February 26. Over 130 senior officials from various countries outline the positions of their respective governments on the issue of human rights.